Tim Smith

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Tim Smith was a racing outsider when he was recruited as the first commissioner of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association in 1998. Now, he's again an outsider--maybe even an outcast--caught up in the acrimony dominating the quest for the franchise to operate the three major Thoroughbred racetracks in New York.

In an ongoing restructuring of the jointly operated National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Breeders' Cup, the NTRA said Del Mar vice president Craig Fravel has replaced NTRA commissioner D.G. Van Clief Jr. as chairman of the NTRA board of directors.

New York should permit public and private partnerships to bid on the New York Racing Association franchise, allow bettors to wager via computers, introduce frequent-betting rewards programs at tracks, and approve the merger of the state's off-track betting corporations, according to an ambitious legislative package proposed March 9 by Friends of New York Racing.

Friends of New York Racing, a consortium of industry groups and individuals that has been studying and making recommendations on the future of racing in the state, is being formally disbanded at the end of February.

Magna Entertainment would be interested in partnering with Churchill Downs for New York's potentially lucrative Thoroughbred racetrack franchise, but wants nothing to do with the New York Racing Association, Magna Chairman Frank Stronach said Jan. 24.

Friends of New York Racing, formed to advocate a new economic model for the pari-mutuel industry in the state, believes backstretch health and welfare issues should be addressed as part of the selection process for the New York Racing Association franchise.

Former National Thoroughbred Racing Association commissioner Tim Smith weighed in on Sunday's election of a new board of directors for Breeders' Cup Ltd., warning participants about the negative impact internal divisiveness could have on the sport.

New York officials need to act quickly to launch a major overhaul of racing laws to help jumpstart the state's $1.4-billion Thoroughbred racing industry, Friends of New York Racing concluded in its year-end report on the status of pari-mutuel horse racing in the state.

The racing industry's major stakeholders in New York state, more accustomed to battling than cooperation, came together Tuesday, Nov. 15 for an unprecedented gathering to try to reach consensus on ways to improve the state of their financial affairs.

Due to his appointment to the Committee on the Future of Racing in New York, Jack Knowlton, managing partner of Sackatoga Stable, has resigned from the board of directors of Friends of New York Racing.

Continuing on a theme he struck during the Jockey Club Round Table the previous morning, Tim Smith, the president of the Friends of New York Racing, outlined the research group's preliminary findings and recommendations during a public forum Monday at Fasig-Tipton's Humphrey S. Finney sale pavilion in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The typical New York Thoroughbred breeding farm is family owned and operated, less than 100 acres in size and reliant upon awards from the New York breeding program and other non-farm income to operate, according to a survey released Wednesday by the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. and Friends of New York Racing, Inc.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, which went outside the industry for its first commissioner, has decided to stay within the industry in keeping its second. D.G. Van Clief Jr., who was named commissioner following the resignation of Tim Smith last July, will remain in the position.

Tim Smith, chief executive of the Friends of New York Racing and former commissioner of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, has been recruited to the World Series – the global racehorse championship – in an "advisory capacity".

The company that owns Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack and operates video lottery terminals at two upstate New York harness tracks has joined the board of directors of Friends of New York Racing, the advocacy organization that seeks to create a better business model for horse racing in the state.

Tim Smith, the former commissioner of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association who is now heading Friends of New York Racing, announced some plans for the organization at a press conference in New York Feb. 16.

Joe Bailey, former deputy commissioner and chief operating officer of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, has joined Dolphins Enterprises, a sports and entertainment company formed by Miami Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga.

By Ray Paulick - It is probably an understatement to say that 2005 is going to be a challenging year for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association/Breeders' Cup. The direction and mission of the organization could be subject to change as it navigates crossroads on the near horizon.

The future shape of New York's Thoroughbred industry will be the focus of a new group of the nation's leading racing industry insiders, whose chief mission will be to propose a new business model for racing in the state.

The president of Magna Entertainment Corp. said Dec. 10 the company would like to be part of a new organization -- Friends of New York Racing -- which hopes to reconstruct the economic model for racing in the state and perhaps seek the franchise to operate Aqueduct, Belmont Park, and Saratoga.

Barry Schwartz, chairman and chief executive officer of the New York Racing Association, said he would resign effective Dec. 31 and "hand the reigns to someone new who can focus vigorous energy" on setting the future course of the association.

D.G. Van Clief Jr. was named commissioner of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association by the organization's board of directors during its board meeting at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas Sept. 25.

Thoroughbred racing continues to take steps on its way to becoming a true league sport, but officials at the Aug. 15 Jockey Club Round Table again beat the drum for cooperation and aggregation in what some still believe is a largely fragmented industry.

National Thoroughbred Racing Association commissioner Tim Smith tendered his resignation as expected July 27, but there was no announcement that Smith had taken a job as president and chief executive officer of the New York Racing Association.

The New York Racing Association's chief executive officer isn't willing to definitively say National Thoroughbred Racing Association commissioner Tim Smith will take over as president, but Barry Schwartz believes the time has come for him to step aside from his full-time NYRA post.

By Ray Paulick -- This is supposed to be the time of year when the racing world starts talking Saratoga and Del Mar, and the search begins for the hot 2-year-olds who look like they could be Triple Crown prospects 10 months from now.

Tim Smith, the first and only full-time commissioner of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, may resign effective Sept. 1 and could be headed to the New York Racing Association to serve as president and chief executive officer.

Though pari-mutuel handle on Thoroughbred racing in the United States and Canada dropped slightly in the second quarter of 2004, purses increased 2.86%, according to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Equibase.

NTRA Purchasing officially opened its new office in Lexington May 11, a move officials said is a sign of growth for not only the National Thoroughbred Racing Association but the racing and breeding industry at large.

Total North American handle during the first quarter of the year was up slightly from 2003 despite 45 fewer racing days, but once again purses did not keep pace, according to statistics released Friday by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Equibase.

National Thoroughbred Racing Association commissioner Tim Smith continues to bang the drum for industry cooperation and aggregation, and again issued a call for the pooling of rights for major events such as the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships and Visa Triple Crown.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Wagering Systems Task Force has enlisted a panel of business experts, including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, to find out what caused purses to drop in 2003 even though national handle increased.

Terry Meyocks, former president and chief operating officer of the New York Racing Association, has taken the position of special assistant to the commissioner with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association has hired a director for its National Office of Wagering Security, and also approved multi-year contract extensions for commissioner Tim Smith and vice chairman D.G. Van Clief Jr., who serves as Breeders' Cup president.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association might be poised to hire former New York Racing Association president Terry Meyocks, industry sources said. It isn't known in what capacity Meyocks would serve if he's hired.

With major contracts for television, sponsorship, and membership up for renewal this year, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association believes 2004 is the year that could spark major growth in horse racing for the long term, commissioner Tim Smith said.